Sample #13; Xylaria polymorpha, fungus

Name: Xylaria polymopha

Common Name: Dead Man's Fingers
Family: Xylariaceae
Collection Date: September 5, 2016
Habitat: Growing next to a tree, very shady area. Growing near the root system.
Location: Nelson Ledges
Description: Mushroom is hard, black in color, and was beginning to decay.  Inside is a cream, white, and is smooth.

Figure 1: Cross section of Dead Man's Finger. The inside is a cream white, very smooth, Outside is rough and even.

 Figure 2:  Sample of Dead Man's Finger

.Keying Guide Used: Arora, D. (1986). Mushrooms demystified: A comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi. Berkeley, NY: Ten Speed Press

Keying Steps:

Ascomycetes

Fruiting body growing on insects, spiders or truffles or engulfing other mushrooms in a pimpled, powdery or lumpy layer of tissue or growing on wood; if on wood then dark brown to black (or black beneath white spore powder) and tough, hard or charcoal like....Flask Fungus , p 878

1a. Growing on wood (but sometimes buried)...2

2b. Fruting body gray to dark brown or black, but sometimes covered with a white powder, common..Xylaria & Daldinia, p 885

1b. Not as above; frutiing body erect, clublike (unbranched),  or anterlike (branched)...2

2b. Not as above...3

3a. Fruiting body very tough or hard, up to 3cm thick; flesh inside usually white or pallid; surface usually oftern minutely warted or cracked....Xylaria polymorpha & other,  p 886